Rochester High School is home to many amazing teachers. They are the backbone of our community, dedicating themselves to fostering growth, curiosity, and a love of learning in every student. The teachers here continuously go above and beyond to ensure everyone has the tools and opportunities they need to succeed. Ms. Smith, a RHS alumni and third-year teacher, is a prime example of this.
Ms. Smith graduated from RHS in 2017. She then went on to Oakland University and majored in secondary education English while also minoring in secondary education history. She graduated from OU and got her bachelor’s degree in 2022. Currently, Ms. Smith teaches AP English Language and Composition and Language Arts 9. This is her first year teaching a rigorous course such as AP Lang.
A typical day in Ms. Smith’s classroom moves along in a procedural way. She normally gets to school around 6:45am-7am to make sure everything is set up and ready to go for the day. During class, her and her students usually read or they’ll recap the work they did in class the day before. After that, they will have a specific activity that they’ll be working on for the rest of the week. If it’s AP Lang it will be more reading-based work, whereas for LA 9 her students will be working straight from the textbook based on what unit they’re doing.
Although her English classes, especially AP Lang, can be quite rigorous at times, Ms. Smith always prioritizes her students’ needs first. She likes to be able to bond and mentor her students, providing them with a safe space where you can seek advice about life and executive functioning things. “I try to be really relatable. I try to meet them where they’re at, understand that they have a life outside of school just like I do. We’re all here for different reasons, not everybody is happy to be in the room all the time. I understand that they’re human just like I am,” Ms. Smith claims.
During her 2nd hour prep and breaks, the first thing Ms. Smith does is use the bathroom. Then, she goes to make copies and checks her mailbox. When she has to go downstairs, she will sometimes ask questions in the main office for some guidance on certain things she is confused about. And, of course, one thing about Ms. Smith is that she loves to socialize. “Sometimes I’ll check in on the other newer teachers in our department. If their door is open, I’ll say hi and ask them if they need anything.”
Like all teachers, Ms. Smith spends quite a bit of time grading her assignments. She takes about 2-3 hours a day. With teaching an English class, especially an AP, the grading process is much more complicated because of all the writings and essays that need to be thoroughly read.
Along with being a teacher, Ms. Smith is also the advisor for RHS’s Key Club. “We have monthly meetings–we are basically a service club similar to the NHS. We serve our community within our school.” As the advisor, she meets with her officers biweekly to discuss the current updates and events regarding the club. An adult is required to always be supervising school events, so she is usually present in those activities.
Ms. Smith is a very strong and compassionate individual, always putting the needs of her students first. Her empathy and kindness create a classroom environment where everyone feels heard and respected, which allows her students to thrive both academically and personally. Ms. Smith loves her job and wouldn’t trade it for the world.
